Last night was Whisky Magazine’s 6th World Whiskies Awards, the opening event of Whisky Live (which opens today – pop by and say hello if you’re around, we’re the official retailer) and the last of the year’s opening round of award ceremonies and trophy giving.
The big prize of the night is Best Single Malt Whisky, and for the second year in a row it was scooped by Yamazaki for their excellent 25 year old. There were also a few surprises along the way, with the Three Ships 5yo shocking the room by becoming the Best Blended Whisky, the distillery only Bowmore Maltmen’s pipping both Lagavulin 12 and 16 to Best Islay, and the excellent Speyburn 25 being classified as a Highland whisky rather than the Speyside that both the distillery’s name and location suggest.
All in all a good gang of winners:
Top level winners:
- Best Single Malt Whisky – Yamazaki 25yo
- Best Blended Malt Whisky – Nikka Taketsuru 17yo
- Best Blended Whisky – Three Ships 5yo (we have their 10yo)
- Best American Whiskey – Eagle Rare 17
- Best Grain Whisky – Greenore 18
- Best Whisky Liqueur – Atholl Brose
Scotch Single Malt:
- Best Campbeltown and Best Campbeltown 13 to 20 years – Springbank 18
- Best Campbeltown 12 years and under – Hazelburn 12yo
- Best Highland and Best Highland 21 years and over – Speyburn 25yo
- Best Highland No Age Statement – Glenmorangie Signet
- Best Highland 12 years and under – Glen Garioch 12yo
- Best Highland 13 to 20 years – Old Pulteney 17yo
- Best Islay and Best Islay No Age Statement – Bowmore Maltmen’s
- Best Islay 12 years and under – Lagavulin 12yo
- Best Islay 13 to 20 years – Lagavulin 16yo
- Best Lowland and Best Lowland 12 years and under – Auchentoshan 1999
- Best Lowland No Age Statement – Auchentoshan Valinch
- Best Speyside and Best Speyside 21 years and over – Glenfiddich 40yo
- Best Speyside No Age Statement – Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 2
- Best Speyside 12 years and under – Singleton of Dufftown 12yo
- Best Speyside 13 to 20 years – Aberlour 16yo, Double Cask
- Best Island and Best Island 12 years and over – Highland Park 1971 (coming soon…)
- Best Island No Age Statement – Talisker 57º North
- Best Island 12 years and under – Highland Park 12yo
- Best Island 13 to 20 years – Scapa 16yo
Irish:
- Best Blended Whiskey – Kilbeggan 18
- Best No Age Statement Blended Whiskey – Bushmills 1608
- Best 12 years and under Blended Whiskey – Tullamore Dew 12yo Special Reserve
- Best Pot Still Whiskey and Best Irish 12 years and under Pot Still Whiskey – Powers John’s Lane
- Best No Age Statement Pot Still Whiskey – Green Spot
- Best 13 to 20 years Pot Still Whiskey – Redbreast 15yo
- Best Irish Single Malt and Best Irish Single Malt 21 years and over – Bushmills 21yo
- Best Irish Single Malt No Age Statement – Connemara Cask Strength Peated
- Best Irish Single Malt 12 years and under – Tyrconnell 10yo Single Malt Sherry Finished
- Best Irish Single Malt 13 to 20 years – Tyrconnell 15yo Single Cask
Japanese:
- Best Japanese Single Malt and Best Japanese 21 years and over – Yamazaki 25yo
- Best Japanese Single Malt No Age Statement – Miyagikyo Single Malt
- Best Japanese Single Malt 12 years and under – Miyagikyo 12yo
- Best Japanese Single Malt 13 to 20 years – Ichiro’s Malt Card Nine of Clubs
- Best Japanese Blend and Best Japanese Blend 13-20 years – Hibiki 17yo
- Best Japanese Blend No Age Statement – Nikka From The Barrel
- Best Japanese Blend 12 years and under – Hibiki 12yo
- Best Japanese Blend 21 years and over – Hibiki 21yo
American:
- Best Bourbon and Best Bourbon 13-20 years – Eagle Rare 17
- Best Bourbon No Age Statement – Hudson Four Grain Bourbon
- Best Bourbon 7 years and under – Four Roses Small Batch
- Best Non-Bourbon No Age Statement – Bernheim Original Straight Wheat
- Best Rye and Best Rye 13 to 20 years – Sazerac 18
- Best Rye No Age Statment – Rittenhouse 100 (out of stock, but we do have a TWE exclusive single cask bottling)
- Best Rye 7 years and under – Sazerac
Canadian:
- Best Canadian Blend and Best Canadian Blend 13 to 20 years – Wiser’s 18yo
- Best Canadian Blend No Age Statement – Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve
New World:
- Best New World Blended Whisky – Three Ships 5yo
- Best New World Single Malt and Best New World Single Malt No Age Statement – Kavalan Solist Fino
- Best New World Single Malt 12 years and under – Armorik Double Maturation
Blended Malt Whisky:
- Best Scotch Blended Malt – Wemyss, The Hive
- Best Non-Scotch Blended Malt and Best Non-Scotch Blended Malt 13 to 20 years – Nikka Taketsuru 17yo
- Best Non-Scotch Blended Malt No Age Statement – Ichiro’s Blended Malt Wine Wood Reserve
- Best Non-Scotch Blended Malt 12 years and under – Nikka Taketsuru 12yo
- Best Non-Scotch Blended Malt 21 years and over – Nikka Taketsuru 21yo
Blended Scotch Whisky:
- Best Blended Scotch No Age Statement – The Naked Grouse
- Best Blended Scotch 12 years and under – Johnnie Walker Black Label
- Best Blended Scotch 13 to 20 years – James Martin’s 20yo
- Best Blended Scotch 21 years and over – Black Bull 40
Enjoy responsibly
Comments
Nice, but errr… Best Irish Single Malt = Bushmills 1608? I was under the impression that this was a blend?
Thanks Mark – it is, and it was best NAS Irish Blend rather than overall winner. We’ll have the full list up after the weekend.
Full results can be found here!
http://www.whiskymag.com/awards/wwa/2012/
Thanks Chloe – I’ve filled in the remaining gaps in the list.